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Open carry in Colorado without permit

I am planning on taking a 5 day hiking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park and want to take my handgun for protection against wildlife. I am a Connecticut resident and have a Connecticut CC permit but it is not recognized by Colorado and I have no way of obtaining a Colorado CC pemit, atleast no way that I am aware of. Do I have any options to bring my handgun with me? Can I open carry without a permit or are there any other options to bring it along with me?

Section 13. Right to bear arms. The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.

As in all National Parks you can not carry in any building where national Park personnel regularly perform their duties (welcome centers, gift shops yada yada yada)

Thanks for the info. So basically I can bring it I just need to keep it in view at all times? It sounds like the only thing you actually need the permit for is for concealment, owning and carrying don't require any sort of slip even for non residents?

Colorado allows Open Carry by the State Constitution, as noted above. Also noted, that this is also NOT allowed in the city (and I believe County) of Denver. However, if traveling through the area, while remaining in your vehicle, it is not an offense as long as you are carrying for protection and traveling. However, if you stop within the Denver limits, lock the gun in the car.

18.12.1(2)(a) Based on the findings specified in subsection (1) of this section, the general assembly concludes that the carrying of weapons in private automobiles or other private means of conveyance for hunting or for lawful protection of a person's or another's person or property while traveling into, through, or within, a municipal, county, or city and county jurisdiction, regardless of the number of times the person stops in a jurisdiction, is a matter of statewide concern and is not an offense.

Might want to post in the CO sub-forum also. National Parks go by the state laws in effect. Also check on magazine limits for CO, 15 IIRC.

It is illegal to sell/purchase magazines over 15 rounds, all mags in possession prior to effective date are grandfathered and perfectly legal, the cops have to prove you bought the mags after the effective date of the law. Mag-Pul was flooding the state with 30 round mags right up to the effective date

I was in a city on the outskirts of Denver a month ago and stopped in a gun-shop, first thing I saw was a shelf of "high capacity" mags including a 120 round AR mag, lots of 30 round AR and AK mags and several M1-A 20 rounders. I said to the owner while pointing to the shelf and grinning "Nice to see you are in compliance with the new law". He said "Nobody gives a (shat), I started selling repair kits and when nobody said anything I started selling the mags, hell the sheriff has been in and I even sold an AR mag to the prosecutor, nobody cares.

Most sheriffs have said they will not enforce the law, prosecutors have said they will not prosecute; it's one of those laws on the books that isn't enforced by MOST. Denver might be the only place you could have trouble.